Bible Study Plan of Salvation / Asking God for forgiveness ?

[Bob777]

I've noticed the first step of salvation is to repent. Repent means that we are sorry and have a change of mind. Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19.
Then we confess our sins to God. (1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9).
We Believe that we are saved. (Acts 16:31).
We should forgive others. (Matthew 6:15).
Then we should surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Romans 12:1-2 , 9-18; James 1: 19-27.

But I can't find where we should ask God for forgiveness for our sins. I think we should. Maybe its inferred in the previous steps of salvation? Confessing our sins is as close to asking for forgiveness that I can find.

Your thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Brother Mike]

But I can't find where we should ask God for forgiveness for our sins. I think we should. Maybe its inferred in the previous steps of salvation? Confessing our sins is as close to asking for forgiveness that I can find.

The condition is that we confess Jesus as our new Lord. I have never taken anyone though the process of asking for forgiveness. One must ask themselves "Forgiveness to what?"

Rom_5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

That is the whole point of making Jesus Lord...........

Now God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and clean us from all unrighteousness if we ask. Righteousness just means right standing with God, and doing things that are dumb and displeasing to God breaks that blessing and right standing with the Father. Getting it taken care of and turning away from that sin (Being dumb) then we restore that fellowship.

When a new unsaved person comes up to give their life to Jesus, they don't really believe they had been doing bad things anyway. Most come for different reasons, but I have yet to hear someone say what a bad person they where and needed those sins forgiven. Without Jesus, you have no standard anyway or Holy Spirit to start perfecting the work started in you. So at the point of making Jesus Lord, the process of change would also start there.

Mike.

 

[Messenger]

I've noticed the first step of salvation is to repent. Repent means that we are sorry and have a change of mind. Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19.
Then we confess our sins to God. (1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9).
We Believe that we are saved. (Acts 16:31).
We should forgive others. (Matthew 6:15).
Then we should surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Romans 12:1-2 , 9-18; James 1: 19-27.

But I can't find where we should ask God for forgiveness for our sins. I think we should. Maybe its inferred in the previous steps of salvation? Confessing our sins is as close to asking for forgiveness that I can find.

Your thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Bob

Man's Plan of Salvation requires that a person must do A+ B + C .... things or steps that assure that now they have salvation.

But this is false doctrine! There are no conditions a person can meet to assure his salvation!

The truth according to God's Word, is that His Plan of Salvation was completed before He ever created the world.

He named certain ones to be His children (Ephesians 1:3-11 ). Their names were recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life because Christ paid for their sins before He ever created them! (Rev. 13:8; 2 Tim. 1:9). And so, they were born into this world, and at some point in their life God applies the Word of God to their lives, and they become saved. God prepares them for eternity because He had already paid for their sins. From that point on, that person will desire only to do God's perfect will, and he comes to trust in Jesus Christ as his Saviour.

Of importance to note is that no man, of himself (of his own freewill), can repent resulting in him becoming saved. For God's Word declares that He is the One Who gives them repentance (2 Tim. 2:25); according to His Will ( Eph. 1:11). And God gives him that trust; not because of anything he did, but as a result of what Christ had done for him!

Regarding your question of forgiveness of sins; only those whom Christ died for have forgiveness of sins because He took their sins upon Himself!

Ask God for mercy. It may be that you are one He is drawing to Himself (John 6:44)!

One thing anyone can do is ask for God's mercy just as the publican did (Luke 18:13).

It may be God's will to have mercy upon him (Rom. 9:15). God's Will is Perfect!

Salvation cannot be obtained by anything any man can do, but by only what God has already done for all those He had chosen and predestined to become saved before the foundation of the world!

TGBTG!

 

[clark thompson]

The bible does refer to it as confessing sins.

 

[Messenger]

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confessing ones sins before God is a result of true salvation, but not a condition to becoming saved.

Before a person is saved there is no action he can take that can please God (Rom. 8:8). For God considers all the works of the unsaved / the wicked to be as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6); so it is impossible for them to please Him.

Psalm 32:5-6
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Only once a person is saved does God consider him to be godly, because he has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. (1 John 4:13; Rom. 8:14)

GTG!

 

[Brother Mike]

Ask God for mercy. It may be that you are one He is drawing to Himself (John 6:44)!

What happens if God does not pick us to be saved? Will asking for Mercy still help?

Mike.

 

[TOG]

But I can't find where we should ask God for forgiveness for our sins. I think we should. Maybe its inferred in the previous steps of salvation?

As you say, asking forgiveness is implied in the other steps you mention, such as repenting and confessing. The Bible tells of a number of people who asked God to forgive their sins, but as for telling us to ask forgiveness, we have this:

After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen. (Matt. 6:9-13 KJV)
​

Jesus tells us to ask God to forgive us of our sins when we pray.

 

[Messenger]

What happens if God does not pick us to be saved? Will asking for Mercy still help?

God isn't presently "picking" anyone to become saved.

The choosing and predestinating of certain individuals to obtain eternal life was all accomplished by God before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; 2 Tim. 1:9); And also the ones who were appointed to eternal damnation (Rom. 9:20-21, 11:7, : 2 Tim. 2:20: 1 Pet. 2:8).

God is Sovereign in all His works!

If a person asks God for mercy and then truly becomes saved, it's because God had already given him a new heart (Ezek. 36:26):

Isaiah 57:15
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Psalm 51:17).

The Apostle Paul's testimony (1 Tim. 1:12-16) was that he was chief of all sinners; blaspheming the name of Christ and persecuting His followers, yet he obtained mercy. Why? Because he was one of God's chosen vessels (Acts. 9:15). For they are the only ones who will obtain God's mercy!

TGBTG!

 

[Brother Mike]

God isn't presently "picking" anyone to become saved.

I never mentioned "When" he picked.............. Do better than this, pay attention!!! amazing.

God is Sovereign in all His works!

If a person asks God for mercy and then truly becomes saved, it's because God had already given him a new heart

So a person asking God for mercy, but not picked or has a new heart gets the shaft............... Which makes your post null and ineffective.

So then, Before asking God for mercy and not wasting your time, how do you check to see if you got this new heart "BEFORE" the mercy can be given.........

According to you, you must have a new heart first to get mercy if asking. What if you get a new heart and forget to ask for mercy, then what happens to you?

Sounds to me as if there would be no need to wast time preaching here or sharing the word with anyone, if God did not give them a new heart then they are screwed, if God did give them a new heart then they are picked anyway and your post means absolutely nothing.

Mike.

 

[Messenger]

So a person asking God for mercy, but not picked or has a new heart gets the shaft

("This is the Bible Study forum. This is not a debate forum. Posts and threads that are not in the spirit of a Bible Study may be deleted.")

So then, Before asking God for mercy and not wasting your time, how do you check to see if you got this new heart "BEFORE" the mercy can be given

Coming to God to ask Him for anything is never "wasting your time".

But no matter what we may ask of Him, He will only answer according to His Perfect Will.
If it is His will to save a person, He will.

A person may not always receives what he asks, because he doesn't know what God's will is.

Did the publican know if God would have mercy upon him before he asked? (Luke 18:13)

1John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

Romans 9:18
Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.

Sounds to me as if there would be no need to wast time preaching here or sharing the word with anyone, if God did not give them a new heart then they are screwed, if God did give them a new heart then they are picked anyway and your post means absolutely nothing.

Preaching the True Gospel is what is important (Acts 20:24) that repentance and remission of sins is given by God to all of the election of grace Christ died for (Acts 5:31; 2 Tim. 2:25). (It is not just an offer to anyone who performs certain acts as a condition to become saved).

 

[Brother Mike]

God-dishonoring attitude, sir! We are discussing God and His Word here, so be respectful.
("This is the Bible Study forum. This is not a debate forum. Posts and threads that are not in the spirit of a Bible Study may be deleted.")

No Messenger, it's not me, I am not debating anything. You came in and said ........

Ask God for mercy. It may be that you are one He is drawing to Himself (John 6:44)!

One thing anyone can do is ask for God's mercy just as the publican did (Luke 18:13).

You tell everyone to ask God for mercy, but you have no clue who God picked to have mercy on or not have mercy on. Yet you tell everyone to ask God for mercy!!! Then you contradict yourself and quote....

A person may not always receives what he asks, because he doesn't know what God's will is.

Did the publican know if God would have mercy upon him before he asked? (Luke 18:13)

Ask God for Mercy!!!! but a person may not always get mercy and they are without hope of God's mercy!

That helps nobody.

I have a word for you.

Act_2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

It means that if you call on the name of the Lord, there will be mercy. You give a scripture about Pharaoh........................ Who God has mercy he will have mercy, who God hardens he will harden........etc., etc., etc.

Pharaoh never asked God for mercy, or called on the name of the Lord. You can't put two and two together and figure out why God had to judge pharaoh even after having mercy on him, and putting up with him with a lot of long suffering before God judged him.

Jas_4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

It says we draw nigh to God first, not God picks us and draws nigh to us first.

Mike.

 

[Messenger]

Act_2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

No verse in God's Word stands alone. Our rule for interpreting any verse is to compare spiritual with spiritual
(1 Cor. 2:13).

So then, when we compare this verse along with Acts 13:48 we can get fuller understanding of those who are that call upon the name of the Lord and shall be saved:

Acts 13:47-48
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Eph. 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Those who were before ordained, they are all the ones who were given to the Son.

John 6:37
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
----------

Jas. 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Christ's work to save His people (Mat. 1:21) has already been accomplished before the foundation of the world. (2 Tim. 1:9). He draws them (John 6:44) and saves them. Only then can they please God and do the good work of drawing close to Him! (Rom. 8:8)

GTG!

 

[Brother Mike]

Acts 13:47-48
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Messenger, you need to look at this.............. We have scriptures that say "Whosoever believe" We have scriptures that God predestines those saved to be a certain body part in the body of Christ by God's choosing, and we have the Jewish people who are God's elect and God still grafts them back to keep his word.

Calvinist read this wrong........... the word Tasso is a verb and it reads.......... When the gentiles heard this they were Glad!!!! The subject is the gentiles that heard this they also glorified the Lord.

hosos (Many, whosoever, who) determined, set to believe on eternal life. There is no Greek for predestination, no Greek for predisposed and no understanding of the article that it was not talking about those gentiles who were Glad. You can't switch the Article structure to switch to God ordaining anyone when the whole article is about those that were set to believe. This has been refuted and proven in the Greek in many Calvin debates and the Calvinist are wrong in their interpretation.

Eph. 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Those in Christ do have a plan as Paul explained that each is set in the body of Christ by God's choice. This has nothing to do with electing anyone to be saved, and I am not sure why you included it. This scripture is for those who have received Jesus as Lord and have their plan laid out for them.

Those who were before ordained, they are all the ones who were given to the Son.

What scripture is that?

Christ's work to save His people (Mat. 1:21) has already been accomplished before the foundation of the world. (2 Tim. 1:9). He draws them (John 6:44) and saves them. Only then can they please God and do the good work of drawing close to Him! (Rom. 8:8)

Mike.

 

[Messenger]

A beneficial Bible Study/discussion should be conducted objectively, i.e. comparing scripture with scripture;
not directed at a person.

 

[AirDancer]

This thread is closed for the time being.

Personal insults are not allowed in this forum or any other forum at CFnet.

Enough is enough!

 

[AirDancer]

Alrighty, then.

This thread is re-opened for considered discussion.

Be blessed, All!

 

[james crawford]

Messenger, I agree completely with all you said! For it is clear in scripture that we have been saved before the foundation of the creation of the world, just as it is clear that all who had been appointed to eternal life were saved that day. The doctrines of grace are so humbling!

 

[Messenger]

Messenger, I agree completely with all you said! For it is clear in scripture that we have been saved before the foundation of the creation of the world, just as it is clear that all who had been appointed to eternal life were saved that day. The doctrines of grace are so humbling!

All the elect were chosen before the foundation of the world to inherit salvation,
and in their lifetime are born again (John 3:3).

Amen! Salvation is only by God's Sovereign Grace (Eph. 2:8).

Because all the works of Christ in salvation were finished before the foundation of the world
(Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3: Rev. 13:8; 2 Tim. 1:9), there are no conditions, or a freewill choice that can
possibly be the deciding factor in one's own salvation.

Circumcized Heart = New Birth

Unless a person has been been given a circumcised heart (Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 2:29)
by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the New Birth, no action on their part can please God
because they are still in the flesh.

Rom. 8:7-8 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

TGBTG!

 

[james crawford]

Amen, brother! Amen!

 

[Messenger]

Hi brother James.

Actually, I'm your sister!